Mental illness and the law

December 1, 2015

Guests: Tim Murphy, Mark Salzer and Leah Harris

After mass shootings, people often argue for mental health reform. Following the Newtown school shooting in 2012, Pennsylvania Representative and psychologist TIM MURPHY led a year long investigation into mental health care system in the U.S. and concluded it was broken. He introduced a bill in 2013 to reform it called The Helping Families in Mental Health Crisis Act (HR 2646) which recently passed a House subcommittee. Today we’ll talk about the legislation and how it aims to improve mental health care. We’ll also hear about some concerns patient advocates have with the bill including patient privacy and civil rights. Marty’s guests are U.S. Representative TIM MURPHY (R-PA), MARK SALZER, professor and chair of the Department of Rehabilitation Sciences at Temple University, and LEAH HARRIS, a mental health advocate with the Campaign for Real Change in Mental Health Policy.

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